2c Black, Preston Shift (73 var). Block of four with bottom selvage and left interpane margin, Positions 81-82/91-92R30, original gum, barely hinged, strong offset perpendicular to the stamps, top left stamp Position 81R30 clearly shows doubling along the entire right side especially in the numeral "2" and the acanthus leaf below and in "Cents"

FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE FAMOUS BLACK JACK "PRESTON SHIFT." VERY FEW ARE KNOWN, AND THIS EXAMPLE IN A PLATED MULTIPLE IS THE FINEST AND MOST IMPORTANT.

Little has been written about the Preston Shift -- a search of the Chronicle database turned up nothing. The best source is the Allen Black Jack book (p. 125), which states the "shift" was originally noted by Marvin Preston of Ferndale, Michigan. In a letter to J. David Baker, columnist for Stamps, Preston explained: "I was amazed, while perusing a dealer's stock in 1951, to discover this outstanding major double transfer."

In 1953 Stanley B. Ashbrook wrote "This is a double transfer of the 'Black Jack' which is very rare in my opinion. It is the only copy that I have ever been able to find and is evidently much scarcer variety than the well-known 'Atherton Shift.' I communicated with a number of the leading students of this stamp thru-out the country and none of them had ever seen a copy of this variety. The following were consulted: H. P. Atherton, Anthony Russo, the late Ignatz Reiner, W. H. Kiefaber and Maurice Cole, author of a book on the stamp. These as well as a number of prominent dealers. It does seem strange that none of the above had ever seen a duplicate of this stamp."

The Allen collection contained the discovery single, which was perforated on all sides and with perfs strongly cutting into the design at top. None were offered in the Rorke sale. Richard Drews showed a used single with straight edge at left in a talk at the Collectors Club in 2010. Barbara Fosdyke-Ray owned a used single with perfs strongly cutting into the design at bottom and straight edge at left.

The multiple offered here, with sheet margin and wide interpane margin, is the finest we have encountered and is especially desirable since it identifies the position of the Preston Shift on the plate.

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